Student jobs Australia

One of the best things about being an international student in Australia is that you can work up to 40 hours per fortnight (every two weeks) and full time during holidays. It typically takes students around two months to find their first job, so make sure you have enough money to cover this period.

Before you start

You’ll need to organise a few things before you start looking for a student job in Australia. These include:

Applying for a Tax File Number (TFN). Every employer will ask you for this number and it will help at the end of the financial year to claim – or pay – your taxes. (Remember, you are an Australian resident for tax purposes). See the ATO website for information and how to apply.

Preparing and printing your resume. Make sure it’s aimed at the position you’re applying for – and include relevant experience.

Visit EMSA. Every Wednesday, we post our Job List with more than 40 casual positions around Australia.

While looking for a job

Here are our top tips for finding student work in Australia:Know where to look
The best job websites are:

Recruitment agencies can be a good avenue for finding work, especially if you are skilled or can work full time.

Look where the others aren’t. The most common mistake we see international students make is dropping their CV where everyone else is doing it. Can you do something different, like go outside the CBD or do unusual tasks, like dog walking? Airtasker could be a good place to see what tasks are in demand in your area.

Take a short course

Think about short industry courses and certifications that will open the door to new work. Examples include:

RSA – If you want to work in Restaurants, pubs or nightclubs, you have to study the RSA – Responsible Service of Alcohol. This course will explain the regulations to serve alcohol in Australia.

White card – If you want to work in construction environments, this short course will explain the workplace risks and safety laws in Australia.

Blue card – If you want to work with children (such as being a nanny, childcare worker or a children’s entertainer), this course provides information on the regulations about working with kids in Australia.

Police check – Sometimes your employer will ask you to provide a police check clearance to proof that you don’t have a criminal history.

Gaining professional experience

Once you’ve done some casual work, you might want to find experience in the field you’re studying. Internships are a great way to start, and then it’s easier to find paid work. In some occupations (IT, Accounting and Engineering, for example), you can do a professional year after your studies to help you get experience and extra migration points before applying for a residency.
Check out events – we run Jobs Seminars to help you find professional experience.

For advice on student jobs in Australia: Talk to us today

If you need some friendly advice on working in Australia, contact our friendly team of education and migration experts today.